Suction cleaner



Oct. 3, 1933. w. H. MELLEN 1,928,944

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Oct. 12, 1931 Patented Oct. 3, V 1933 UNITEDSTATES PATENT oFFlcE SUCTION CLEANER Application October 12, 1931.Serial No. 568,334

5 Claims.

The presentinvention relates to suction cleaners in general andparticularly to a new and improved suction cleaner nozzle lipconstruction. More specifically the invention comprises the 5 provision,in a suction cleaner, ofa surfacecontacting nozzle lip which is muchthinner than the usual nozzle lip to enable it to penetrate into thepile of a surface covering undergoing cleaning to thereby direct thecleaning air to the deeply embedded foreign matter, yet which is alsoprovided with means to prevent an undue penetration of .the lip whichwould result in increased force requirement for cleaner movement.

it is an object of thepresent invention, therefore, to provide a new andimproved suction cleaner nozzle lip. It is a further object to provide,in a suction cleaner, a nozzle lip having a portion which is muchthinner than the usual nozzle lip, in combination with surface-contact-9 ing means which prevent undue penetration of the aforesaid thinportion. A still further object is the provision of a combination nozzlelip comprising a portion, under which cleaning air must pass in gainingentrance to the cleaner nozzle and which is much thinner than the usualordinary nozzle lip, together with surface-contacting portions which areof relatively great area which prevent the undue penetration of the thinportion into the surface covering. These 39 and other more specificobjects will appear upon reading the following specification and claimsand upon consideration of the annexed drawing.

In the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the present inventionis disclosed: Figure 1 is a view of a modern suction cleaner in whichthe present invention is embodied.

Figure 2 is a partial section through the nozzle of the cleaner shown inFigure 1 being taken upon the line 2-2 of Figure 3. 49 Figure 3 is apartial bottom view of the cleaner nozzle shown in Figure l.

Figure 4 is a section upon the line 4-4 of Figure 3. Figure 5 is asection upon the line 55 of Figure 6 and shows a second embodiment ofthe present invention.

Figure 6 is a bottom view of the embodiment shown in Figure 5.

Figure 'I is a partial bottom view of a stillnot be here described. Forthe purposes of the complete understanding of this invention it needonly be said that the cleaner embodies, among other features, the nozzle2 which is interiorly connected to the suction-creating means and 0through which the cleaning airtogether with foreign matter removed fromthe surface-covering passes in the operation of the cleaner. The

'lower end of the nozzle as in all suction cleaners,

comprises the surface-contacting portions which 5 are known as nozzlelips. In the usual cleaner construction no particular attention is paidto the shape or width or particular construction of these lips, butinstead the size, shape or dimension is used which is dictated bymanufacturing preferences. In the suction cleaner nozzle constructed inaccordance with the present invention the surface-contacting portions orlips are scientifically designed to aid and assist the cleaning air inits cleaning function through insuring pile agitation and directing theflow of air through the covering undergoing cleaning.

Referring to Figures 2, 3 and 4 in particular,

in, which the first preferred embodiment of the present invention isdisclosed, the surface-contactin portion of nozzle 2 is shown tocomprise the spaced parallel thin-edged members 3, 3 which arepreferably formed of hard non-abrasive metal. As is clearly shown in thedrawing, the lower edge of members 3, 3 are very narrow or thin and areof such width that they are adapted to penetrate between adjacent tuftsof pile of a surface covering undergoing cleaning or between thebristles of a single tuft of pile. These members 3, 3 because of theirrelatively small thickness are known as pile-penetrating lips. It

is entirely possible to construct a cleaner nozzle in which the lipcomprises only the members 3, 3. According to the present invention,however, it

is desirable to provide additional surface-contacting means to preventany undue digging-into the surface covering these members. Thesesurfacecontacting portions or members which prevent this unduepenetration are shown as buttons 4, 4 etc. which are positioned at the:sides of the members 3,3 and are adapted to contact the surfacecovering. Buttons 4, 4 are rounded and smooth and, it is to be noted,are pointed at one end to make their movement over the surface coveringeasier. In the embodiment shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 these buttons 4, 4upon the opposite sides of the nozzle mouth defined by the members 3, 3are directly opposite and the sharp angles point inwardly.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6 in particular, no

the second preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed inwhich the pile-penetrating means are constructed as in theaforedescribed embodiment. This embodiment differs from that firstdescribed in that the buttons 4, 4 are formed upon detachable members 5,5 instead of being formed integrally upon the bottom of the nozzle 2,and also in that the angles of the buttons point outwardly from thenozzle mouth instead of inwardly. In operation this modification wouldfunction exactly as the first described modification.

In the embodiment disclosed in Figure '7 the buttons 4, 4 are arrangedin staggered relation upon the opposite sides of the nozzles mouth, the

construction being similar to that shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 in otherdetails.

In theoperation of a suction cleaner embodyinga nozzle constructed inaccordance with the present invention, upon the turning-on of thecurrent-controlling switch the electric current passing through themotor would cause the suction-creating fan to revolve. The fan wouldthereupon effect a reduction of pressure within the suction nozzlethrough drawing the air therefrom and air would rush into the nozzlebetween the lips 3, 3. The surface covering immediately below the lips3, 3 would be drawn into contact 'with the lips because of the reducedpressure in .mediately adjacent the pile-penetrating portions 3, 3,prevent the excessive penetration of those members into the surfacecovering.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner a nozzle, said nozzle having a thin rigid lipportion adapted to extend into the pile of a surface covering undergoingcleaning, and spaced rounded buttons positioned adjacent said thin lipportion and adapted to contact said surface covering to preventexcessive lip penetration.

2. A nozzle lip comprising a thin surfacecontacting element and roundedsurface-contacting buttons arranged beside said element and spacedtherefrom and from each other.

3. In a suction cleaner of the type adapted to lift a surface coveringundergoing cleaning into contact with the nozzle lips, a nozzle having amouth, a thin-edged rigid lip portion defining a side of said mouth andadapted to penetrate into a contacting surface covering, and spacedmeans closely adjacent the side of said lip portion adapted to contactsaid surface covering and limit the extent of penetration of said lipportion therein.

4. In a suction cleaner of the type adapted to lift a surface coveringundergoing cleaning into contact with the nozzle lips, a nozzle having amouth, thin-edged rigid surface-contacting lip portions defining saidmouth, and smooth rounded surface-contacting portions closely adjacentbut spaced from said lip portions and from each other to preventexcessive pile penetration by said lip portions. v

5. In a suction cleaner of the type adapted to lift a surface coveringundergoing cleaning into contact with the nozzle lips, a nozzle having amouth, thin-edged rigid surface-contacting lip portions defining saidmouth, and smooth rounded surface-contacting portions arranged at thesides of said lip portions, characterized by the fact that said smoothrounded portions are staggered upon the opposite sides of said mouth.

WILLIAM H. MELLEN.

